When did the Lord first manifest himself to this man?
Read our history if you wish to understand all the particulars; on this
occasion I shall barely refer you to the early history of this church in print.
The Lord revealed himself to that person, not in his manhood, but in his youth.
We have heard much said, by those who know nothing of the matter, about
"old Joe Smith." how old was Joseph Smith when the Lord first
manifested Himself to him? He was about fourteen years and four months old. Was
that a very aged man? Look around here in this assembly and hunt up children
fourteen years of age, and you will immediately admit that they do not look
very aged.
What were the circumstances that enabled him to have
manifestations from Heaven at that early period of this life? He was very
anxious, as most of mankind are to be saved; and he was also very anxious to
understand how to be saved. But on this point he was at a loss, he did not
understand the way to be saved. . . . When he was about fourteen years old
there was what is called a religious revival or reformation in the neighborhood
in which he lived. It was not confined to any one particular sect. The Methodists,
Baptists, Presbyterians, and the various denominations in that district or
country were all engaged more or less in this revival. Several of the relatives
of this youth had taken part in this revival, and had united themselves with
the Presbyterian church. This young man was also requested to unite himself
with this church. First one and then another of the different persuasions would
come and converse with him and try to influence him to join his lot with them;
and seeing so much confusion, each sect claiming that they were the true people
of God, he became at a loss what to do. He occasionally devoted an hour, when
his labors on the farm would permit, to reading the Bible, and while doing so
his eyes happened to fall on a certain passage of scripture, recorded in the
epistle of James, which says that if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who
giveth liberally to all men and upbraideth not. . . . he went out into a little
grove near his father's house, in the town of Manchester, Ontario County, State
of New York, and there he knelt down in all the simplicity of a child and
prayer to the Father in the name of Jesus that He would show him which, among
all the churches, was the true one. Said he, "show me, Father, who are in
possession of the truth, let me know, O Lord, the right way, and I will walk
therein."
He had now come to a Person who was able to teach him.
All his inquiries previously had been futile and vain, but he now applied to
the right source. Did the Lord hear him? Yes. But he had to exercise faith.
This young man, while thus praying, was not discouraged because he was tempted;
but he continued praying until he overcame the powers of darkness which tried
to prevent him from calling upon God. The Lord hearkened; being the same God
who lived in ancient times. He was able to hear and answer prayers that were
offered up in this sincere manner, and he answered the prayers of this youth. The
heavens, as it were, were opened to him, or in other words, a glorious pillar
of light like the brightness of the sun appeared in the heavens above him, and
approached the spot where he was praying; his eyes were fixed upon it and his
heart was lifted up in prayer before the Most High. He saw the light gradually
approaching him until it rested upon the tops of the trees. He beheld that the
leaves of the trees were not consumed by it, although its brightness,
apparently, was sufficient as he at first thought to consume everything before
it. But the trees were not consumed by it, and it continued to descend until it
rested upon him and enveloped him in its glorious rays. When he was thus
encircled about with this pillar of fire his mind was caught away from every
object that surrounded him, and he was filled with the visions of the Almighty,
and he saw, in the midst of this glorious pillar of fire, two glorious personages,
whose countenances shone with an exceeding great lustre. One of them spoke to
him, saying, while pointing to the other, "This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased, hear ye him." . . . Mr. Smith, this young man, in the
simplicity of his heart, continued saying to these personages "which
church shall I join, which is the true church?" He then and there was
commanded, in the most strict manner, to go nto after them, for they had all
gone out of the way; he was told there was no Christian church on the face of
the earth according to the ancient pattern, as recorded the in New Testament;
but they had all strayed form the ancient faith and had lost the gifts and
powers of the Holy Ghost; they had lost the spirit of revelation and prophecy,
the power to heal the sick, and every other gift and blessing possessed and
enjoyed by the ancient Church. "Go not after them," was the command
given to this young man; and he was told that if he would be faithful in
serving the true and living God, it should be made manifest to him, in a time
to come, the true church that God intended to establish. ("Discourse by Elder Orson
Pratt, delivered in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Feb. 24th, 1869," Deseret News [February
27, 1869]: 2)
